Folkloristic And Ethnic Influences In Selected Violin Repertoire: A Study Of Music Inspired By Scottish, Jewish, And Latin American Cultures

Abstract

This dissertation examines and discusses folk and ethnic elements in selected violin compositions of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, including works by living composers. In examining compositions from several centuries, the aim is to establish a lineage between the past and the present in regards to the usage of traditional folk and ethnic musical elements. Additionally, the analyses will help to identify any differences in the implementation of folk music idioms in works by composers native to the given culture, as compared with works by composers of another origin who sought to emulate these musical characteristics. The focus is on compositions inspired by Scottish fiddling; Jewish spiritual, folk and klezmer music; and Latin-American dances. To show the link between the original sources of inspiration and the presented works, I have considered such musical elements as melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, timbre, and scales, as well as extra-musical subject matter when applicable.

By expanding my knowledge of the authentic music that inspired these composers, I deepened my understanding of these works and created a more compelling interpretation. It is my desire to bring to light lesser-known composers who deserve their compositions to be heard.

These works were featured in three recitals at the University of Maryland College Park. The first and third recitals were performed in Smith Lecture Hall and the second in Ulrich Recital Hall. A re-recording of Paul Ben-Haim’s Sonata in G, Maurice Ravel’s Kaddish, and Faustas Latenas’ Jerusalem of Lithuania from the second recital took place on May 25, 2017. Recordings of all three recital programs can be found in the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM).